The Sexual Violence Prevention Association (SVPA) joined Survivors.org for the “Shatter The Red Zone Summit” on Sept. 26, 2025, at which SVPA founder and CEO, Omny Miranda Martone, spoke. Four 45-minute panels educated students, professors, and other campus stakeholders on addressing and preventing sexual violence.
Sexual violence spikes as students head to college campuses for the start of a new academic year. More than 50% of campus sexual violence occurs between August and November. Experts refer to this time period as “the red zone.” This high-risk period is often attributed to increased alcohol consumption, unfamiliarity with the campus, and being surrounded by new people.
SVPA Founder and CEO, Omny Miranda Martone spoke at the summit about bystander intervention. They appeared on a panel alongside Ray Epstein from Student Activists Against Sexual Assault (SAASA) and Isabel Martinez from Tahirih Justice Center, addressing common misconceptions and barriers to effective bystander intervention. They discussed how implicit biases and rape myths influence how bystanders respond as well as strategies for identifying when it is safe to intervene. The panel closed with discussion of increasing access and minimizing barriers to campus resources for supporting students as they engage in sexual violence prevention.
With the rise of generative AI being open to the public, the red zone poses a larger threat than ever. There has been a 400% increase in the number of online sexual violence victims since 2016. Digital sexual violence can range from the threat of sharing intimate, private photos to using AI to create explicit, deepfake content. Not all sexual violence is physical, but all forms of sexual violence cause harm. That’s why the SVPA created the 5 R’s of digital bystander intervention, to empower students to take action and prevent future offenses.
The summit also addressed consent, the status of Title IX under the Trump Administration, and how to support survivors of sexual violence, particularly those from the BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities.
The Shatter The Red Zone Summit confronted the serious and harmful nature of the red zone. This is an urgent issue that requires the attention of college students, campus administrators, and sexual violence support and prevention organizations. The SVPA was proud to take a stand amongst such an impressive panel of activists and organizers.
